FREDDIE FIGGERS. American Inventor Software Engineer Youngest American to own and operate a Telecommunication Company. FreddieFiggers.

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1 FREDDIE FIGGERS OCTOBER 2015 FreddieFiggers.com American Inventor Software Engineer Youngest American to own and operate a Telecommunication Company

2 CONTENTS MY STORY 07 NEW CELL PHONE IS A LIFE SAVER 08 THE CELL PHONE BUSINESS FREDDIE FIGGERS WHIZ KID 12 LOCAL WIRELESS BROADBAND COMPANY ROLLS OUT SERVICES 13 AN INNOVATIVE CELL PHONE COULD PUT AN END TO TEXTING AND DRIVING

3 Born September 26, 1989 (age 26) Nationality Occupation Website American Computer programmer, entrepreneur FREDDIE FIGGERS Freddie Lee Figgers (born September 26, 1989) is an American inventor, Computer Programmer and Entrepreneur. He is the youngest American who holds a Federal Communications Commission License which allows him to operate his own cell phone company. Figgers has designed and built a cell phone which allows users to disable the texting feature when they are driving. He is CEO and chief software architect of Figgers Communication Inc. EARLY LIFE Figgers was born and raised in Quincy, Florida. When he was less than a month old, Figgers was abandoned by his biological mother and adopted by his foster parents, Nathan and Betty Figgers. At the age of ten when his father bought him a non-functioning computer from a thrift store, Figgers repaired the computer and upgraded it to make it function. At the age of 13, Figgers began repairing broken computers of the people in town and surrounding areas. Figgers was also part of the team who built the NetQuincy Telecommunication System, a city-run program that provided internet services to local residents and business. Later at the age of 17, he built a data center and developed his own computer operating system to act as an intermediary between application programs and computer hardware. At the age of 25, Figgers designed the phone Figgers X1 that prevent texting when the car exceeds 10 miles per hour. Figgers also designed a device which he sold at $2 million dollars to an undisclosed company, that helps Doctors monitor patients remotely. The device is currently being used at the Miami Jackson Memorial hospital. FIGGERS COMMUNICATION INC. Figgers Communications is a privately held telecommunications company founded by Freddie Figgers. The company uses proprietary 4G LTE Network WiMAX as wireless communications standard. In 2011, The FCC approved Figgers application to hold a FCC License Spectrum which allowed him to operate his own cell phone company. 3

4 MY STORY When I was less than a month old, I was abandoned by my birth mother. I was adopted by foster parents and never had a chance to know my biological family. To keep me out of trouble, at the age of nine, my father purchased a non-functioning 1989 computer from a thrift store. When he placed the computer on the kitchen table, I made it my mission to get the computer into good working order. After I took the computer apart five times, on my sixth attempt, I finally got it to power on. That is when my technology journey began. Today, that same computer runs on Windows 7. (Pictured: 1989 Computer my Dad purchased from Goodwill) At the age of thirteen, I started working for the City of NetQuincy. My job title was Computer Technician and Network Administer. My daily tasks consisted of repairing computers for the City of Quincy and the people of the city. I was also part of a team that helped build NetQuincy Telecommunication infrastructure, where the City was providing internet services to local residents and businesses within the city limits. At the age of sixteen, I decided that I wanted to be an employer instead of an employee. Therefore, I started to repair computers for consumers and local businesses in my hometown and surrounding counties. That same year, I founded Figgers Computers Inc. It s surprising that at the age of sixteen, many companies trusted me enough to allow me to come into their facilities to repair their computers, install Wireless Areas Networks, and monitor their networks and computers, 4

5 which would have had an effect on the day to day business. Companies were thrilled to have me but due to my age, companies had to impose certain restrictions. Figgers Computers Inc. was operated out of my parent s house. The consumers would deliver computers to my parent s houses weekly for virus repairs or repairs to broken laptop screens. By the age of seventeen, I began wondering about how amazing servers can provide resources and share data to thousands of users simultaneously from one place. That lingering idea drove me into building my Data center at my parents home. I built nine web servers. That same year, I founded Figgers Computers and Networks. I focused mainly on local businesses Age 13 employee of city of Quincy NetQuincy computer Technician that needed website hosting and co-location without paying high fees for data storage. Within seven months, I had approximately onehundred and fifty active clients ranging from local businesses that needed websites, lawyer offices that needed to store old client files to clean out their network for new clients, to local car dealerships that needed to store old buyers orders from years ago to keep in their records. At that age, what really struck me was telecommunications and how a voice could transmit and travel to a switchboard and relay a call to another voice call across the country in milliseconds. I wanted to create a Telecom network but due to my funding, it was a mere dream. Companies loved keeping their data hosted with Figgers Computers and Networks. Companies started requesting custom programs and requirements to help the day to day business operation functions run smoothly. I remember in March of 2006, a sales representative came into a local CPA office, a place where I frequently worked backing up their network to my Data Center, and I noticed how the salesman came in and sold custom Tax preparation software for almost $25,000 for a thirty-minute install. That drove me into software, and how to develop and deploy a software program. Thus, in mid-2007, I developed and created a computer operating system. An Operating System (OS) is a set of system software programs in a computer that regulate the ways application software programs use the computer hardware and the ways that users control the computer. For hardware functions such as input/output and memory space allocation, operating system programs act as an intermediary between application programs and the computer hardware, although application programs are usually executed directly by the hardware and it launch. I sold almost sixhundred copies of my operating system, but due to everyone having Microsoft and Windows, I ran into hundreds of compatibility issues. In 2008, I had over eighty custom software programs designed, built, executed, and purchased by companies. In late 2008, I started developing Tracker. Tracker is a software program that receives Global Positioning System (GPS) signals for the purpose of determining the present location of any cell phone, regardless of whether it is powered on or off. I wanted to be a licensed Telecom My Cellular Tower during construction 5

6 operator in the USA to compete on the same market as Verizon AT&T Sprint and T-Mobile, therefore, in May of 2009, I applied for a License spectrum band from the FCC to provide radio Telecommunication by internet and voice. I did this in order to provide WiMAX. WiMAX is an IP based, wireless broadband access technology that provides performance similar to /Wi-Fi networks with the coverage and QOS (quality of service) of Wisp networks. WiMAX is also an acronym meaning Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). Wi-Fi s range is ft from an access point in your office home or office. In other words, WiMax turns many small, scattered hot spots into one huge wireless hotspot. In August of 2010, Freddie Figgers designed a Voice Telecommunication network (Voip Voice over Internet Protocol) that transmits voice to and from the USA from over 80 countries landline and mobile connections. (Pictured Figgers Voip Box) In 2011, The Fcc approved my application to own Spectrum and the construction of my first cellular tower began as soon I received the Fcc License. (Pictured: My Cellular Tower during construction) Today, my company markets affordable communications services at home and abroad. We are unique because we offer services that are well ahead of evolving technology. I want to invite you to learn more about Figgers Communication and our innovative technology. The technology I developed is capable of serving up to 3 million subscribers. With our Cellular and home phone services, our customers have access to 25 calling features at no cost, advanced communications with flexibility, and mobility through our 4G LTE Nationwide WiMAX provider. Figgers Voip Box Our network can also provide Mobile Broadband Internet access, offering Data Coverage to over 280 million people located in over 15,900 cities nationwide. Figgers Communication s high-speed and affordable On the Go Internet is beneficial for any consumers that are using a PC, Mac, or any WIFI enabled device such as an ipad, tablet, smartphone or netbook. Figgers Communication offers a Figgers Mobile Broadband Hotspot & Figgers Mobile Usb Modem wide range of Data Plans including a Figgers Communication MIFI Mobile Hotspot that accommodates up to 10 Wi-Fi-enabled devices simultaneously. (Pictured: Figgers Mobile Broadband Hotspot & Figgers Mobile Usb Modem.) As of September 2014, Figgers Communication has designed and manufactured the Figgers F1 mobile phone in the USA for our 4G Voice over LTE Network. 6

7 NEW CELL PHONE IS A LIFE SAVER TALLAHASSEE, FL It s a parent s dream, a cell phone that will not distract the driver or allow the driver to text while driving. The Figgers X1 called the Life Saver is a unique cellular phone with a built-in feature that prevents texting or the receipt of text messages when the car exceeds 10 miles per hour. Florida and other states have passed laws that prohibit texting while driving, but summer continues to be the deadliest time on the road for teens. The inventor of the Figgers X1 Freddie Figgers says, All the laws in the world can t change behavior. But the Figgers X1 can. Figgers is a 25-year-old technology wiz who is also the youngest American to hold a FCC License Spectrum, making him a Telecom carrier like all the major brands. Americans love brands. But we provide a better phone, better accessories, greater band width, a phone that is practical, personal and a life saver for half the price of major brands. We cut out the middle man, and still guarantee a quality product. The Figgers X1 anti-texting mechanism sends the caller a message saying, I m driving. Drivers can retrieve their text and voice messages when the vehicle stops. Figgers genius came to light as a nine year old when he repaired a broken computer his father purchased at Goodwill. At 13, the Quincy, Fla. native became a celebrity when he began working for NetQuincy, repairing computers for the city and citizens of the small town. Since then, Figgers, an independent African American entrepreneur who has launched numerous technological innovations that are affordable, lifesaving, and a good way to improve our quality of life. Figgers website, com, is loaded with patent pending products including Vitalwear, which remotely monitors the wearers vital signs and location in real time. Caregivers who want to more closely observe functioning loved ones can do so with Vitalwear. 7

8 QUINCY S FREDDIE FIGGERS IS TRYING TO SHAKE UP THE CELL PHONE BUSINESS It was a broken computer, old MacIntosh, I took the computer apart and rebuilt it because it was no good, Figgers said. by Lynn Hatter May 5, 2015 There s a new entry into the world of cell phone carriers, and it s headquartered in the big bend. It s run by one of the youngest people in the country to operate a cell phone company. When Freddie Figgers was just nineyears-old, his father bought him a computer. It was a broken computer, old MacIntosh, I took the computer apart and rebuilt it because it was no good, Figgers said. That computer is still running today. At 25-years-old, Figgers is the youngest American with a Federal Communications Commission License that allows him to operate his own cell phone company. He s also designed, built and marketed 8

9 his own phone which allow parents to disable the texting feature when they or their children are driving. He s got about 4,000 customers nationwide, mainly in Georgia and Florida. While he s had a few network failures, Figgers says he s still learning the trade. He wants to expand and is trying to get another FCC license that will allow his network to run faster and run more data. Some might call Figgers a wunderkind. He started working for the City of Quincy when he was 12 years old. It was a division within the city of Quincy to provide internet service and affordable phone service to the residents. I started out billing out their IP system, and branding out from there, Figgers explained. He attended Florida Atlantic University, but later dropped out after a few semesters. Along the Picture of a shoe Figgers built to medically monitor his father way, Figgers started repairing computers, eventually setting up his own business. Then, he started helping other companies with network issues. After that it was on to banks, where he built software and mobile sites. RedLine Communications, Hancock Bank, Wells Fargo Wachovia before they transferred into Wells Fargo, so I ve worked with several institutions. And that was all by the time he was 19. Then he landed the big one. Figgers designed a device that helps doctors monitor their patients remotely. He sold that device to a company and netted nearly $2 million dollars. That device is now in use at Miami s Jackson Memorial Hospital. It s for remote monitoring for seniors that want to stay at home, but need that extra care and monitoring. We re monitoring a 91-year-old patient, Figgers described. She refuses to leave her home, and its working great for her. It s not the only device he s worked on. Figgers also designed a way to track his father, who died last year and had dementia. It s a device that Figgers installed in his dad s shoe that allowed him to stay in touch and know where his dad is at all times. Figgers says his passion is making devices that make a difference. 9

10 I guess you could say I am self taught, he said. Nathan Figgers, Freddie s father, said he first noticed his son s talent several years ago. I bought him a used computer from Goodwill about ten years ago and brought it home. It was very slow and we kept it for a while. It got broken and I took it back. He told me I didn t have to take it back because he could have fixed it, the elder Figgers said. Not only can he repair computers, he can custom- build computers of all types, upgrade computers, install software, as well as supply computer training. I can create websites if they want it, he said. WHIZ KID Alice DuPont, December 1, 2004 Freddie Figgers likes to tinker. Actually, he tinkers with electronics, but he has a knack for computers. The 15-yearold can take a computer apart and put it back together if he needs to. Mainly, when Netquincy customers bring their computers in for repairs, Freddie might be one of three technicians to make the repairs. He estimates that he has repaired almost 20 computers since he started with the City of Quincy in late July. One customer who brought her computer in early Tuesday found out the problem quickly. Oh, she just had a virus and her hard drive was corrupted, he said matter of factly. So just how did Freddie fix the computer? The first thing I did was a virus scan and then I installed a service pack, that will prevent any other viruses from attacking the computer, he said. The department has a checklist for every computer that comes in for repairs, and when he finishes he goes over each checklist item to make sure everything is operating properly. Not one of the computers Freddie has repaired has been returned for further work. Freddie began working on computers for friends at home. I was taught the basics by a man named Horace Fitzgerald. From then on, I just learned how to fix them myself. I guess you could say I am self taught, he said. Nathan Figgers, Freddie s father, said he first noticed his son s talent several years ago. I bought him a used computer from Goodwill about ten years ago and brought it home. It was very slow and we kept it for a while. It got broken and I took it back. He told me I didn t have to take it back because he could have fixed it, the elder Figgers said. Not only can he repair computers, he can custom- build computers 10

11 Freddie Figgers with his Father Nathan Figgers of all types, upgrade computers, install software, as well as supply computer training. I can create websites if they want it, he said. Around the City Hall Freddie, who is described by adults as very mannerable and nice, has become everyone s favorite. He s a terrific young man. I have noticed him around here and he conducts himself very well, said Willie Earl Banks, city manager. Gloria Woodard, who has more contact with Freddie because he s in the office with her everyday, said he a great teenager. He ll do what ever you ask him to do. I never have to speak to him about anything. If I ask him to do something, he ll do that and go back to what he was doing, she said. The ninth grader not only works from 2 to 5 p.m. daily at city hall, he works with Children Are Our Future. I manage their computers for them, he said. Freddie has a lot of parental support. I told him that whatever he wanted to do with computers, I was behind him 100 percent and he just took it from here, Nathan said. Freddie and his father know that he is working toward a future in computers. I don t know where I want to go to college, but I do know that I want to major in computers, he said. Computers don t take up all of his time. He breeds and raises pit bulls for sale. All of his animals are registered with the American Dog Breeders Association (ADBA). They require a lot of work. I have to feed and water then daily as well as groom them. I like all animals but I especially like dogs, he said. All of his older brothers and sisters have gone and as the only child left at home, Freddie s computers and dogs take up most of his time. He has a few friends that he likes to associate with but his dad said he has never been a problem. He s quiet most of the time. He s alright, Nathan said, beaming with pride. The one thing Freddie hasn t been able to do is get his father to develop an interest in computers. Oh, one of these days, I guess I might try it, the elder Figgers said. John Thomas, director of telecommunication, said Freddie s computer skills are above average. He is a computer whiz kid. I would compare his knowledge to that of a college senior right now. By the time he finishes high school, his skills will be over the top, Thomas said. 11

12 LOCAL WIRELESS BROADBAND COMPANY ROLLS OUT SERVICES D&F OFFERS WI-FI AND 4G LTE CELL PHONE PLANS by by Dave Hodges July 28, 2013 Tallahassee Democrat - The tallest thing on businessman DeVoe Moore s property at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum is not an oak tree or a billboard these days, but a communications tower. Moore and business partner Freddie Figgers, a software engineer with 16 years in the profession, are introducing this market s newest wireless telecommunication services, which they have dubbed D&F Communications. We have been talking about it for some time. Matter of fact, we had our first permitting meeting on Nov. 10, 2010, Moore recalled. Sixteen and a half months later, the tower permit was approved and construction got started. The goal was to create a Tallahassee-based company that could provide wireless broadband Wi-Fi service to customers on the go. The Internet service works with personal computers, Macs or any Wi-Fi enabled device, including ipads, tablets, smartphones or netbooks, Figgers said. We are ready for business, Moore said. We have people begging us to get on the system. D&F has various plans starting at $19.99 a month and there is no contract and no limits on data transmissions. Consumers can purchase one of the company s Mi-Fi mobile hotspots capable of connecting up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices simultaneously. The Mi-Fi is about the size of a credit card and is rechargeable. The company also offers cell phone service using 4G LTE technology. It s the latest and last version of this technology, Figgers said of LTE, which stands for long-term evolution. Customers can use any device they wish for the cell service and there s no contract involved. The basic plan, priced at $20 a month, includes 1,000 minutes, 1,000 text or multimedia messages, 30 megabytes of data transfer and 411 calls at no extra charge. We have had a very positive customer response, Figgers said. The tower, which at its top is 270 feet above sea level, is tall enough that any device within 40 miles can establish a connection. In about 2.7 seconds, the system switches the customer over to a microwave satellite network for the access to the Internet. The roaming feature appealed to Tom Carlson, senior vice president with Seminole Boosters Inc. It s unbelievable what he has been able to do, basically, Carlson said of his friend Moore. You are able to compete with the big boys. Even on trips out of town and stops in remote areas, Carlson said he has still had Internet access with his hotspot card. I have had it numerous places and I kept telling DeVoe the only place that it didn t work was in North Carolina in a hotel room. In that instance, Carlson concluded that electronic shielding of incoming signal was being used so guests would have to rely on the hotel s in-house service. Moore is best known as a local real estate investor and owner of the Tallahassee Automobile Museum. He is an ardent supporter of Florida State University, where the University Center building was named after him as part of the expansion of Doak Campbell Stadium. Freddie came out to see if he could do a little Internet work at the old museum, Moore said. That was six years ago. They began discussing the idea of a wireless broadband Internet service, and Figgers provided the technical expertise in software architecture and system engineering to get the venture going. Figgers started repairing computers when he was still a youngster and had a thriving IT business by the time he was

13 AN INNOVATIVE CELL PHONE COULD PUT AN END TO TEXTING AND DRIVING TALLAHASSEE, FLA. (WTXL) A local, tech guru is trying to put an end to texting and driving. 25 year old, Freddie Figgers is making his mark in the cell phone industry. Figger s has a created a multi-user profile cell phone that allows users to disable the texting feature. Figgers tells us, Mom, Dad, Son, and Daughter can all use this phone. There s different profiles, it s similar to a windows computer. If the cell phone is in motion over 10 miles per hour, it will not allow you to send or receive a text. Figger s said he wanted to create something that would set him apart. Figgers is the youngest U.S. citizen to operate his own cell phone company using a federal communications commission license. The cell phone company currently has 4,000 customers nationwide. Figgers also created a device that helps doctors monitor patients remotely. That device is currently is being used at the Miami Jackson Memorial hospital. 13

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20 Figgers.com FreddieFiggers.com P.O. Box Tallahassee, Florida 32317